Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to faucets, and in particular to faucets with pull-out type spray heads.
Conventional faucets have a faucet body, one or more flow control/mixing valves, one or more control handles, and a spout. The spout acts a conduit for expelling water that has passed through the valve(s), in which case the outflow is either fixed to begin at a single point, or in the case of a pivotal spout is limited to begin over a range of a prescribed horizontal arc.
Thus, faucets have conventionally been provided with separate stand-alone hand-held sprayers to provide the user with more flexibility with regard to the direction and point that outflow begins, particularly to facilitate spraying down dishware. These sprayers have a flexible hose attached to the spray head allowing the spray head to be pulled from a mount and moved about as needed. However, these faucets require extra room on the counter top for the sprayer mounting, as well as a separate hole through the counter top.
As an alternative, faucets with pull-out spray heads projecting from the main faucet body have been developed. See generally U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,213,268; 5,546,978; 5,758,690 and 6,370,713. The first two of these references have the sprayer unit extend from the side of the faucet body, and the latter two have the sprayer unit extend from the upper end of the faucet body.
Assembly of such pull-out faucets is usually more complicated then conventional faucets due to the added spray hose and its coupling to the water supply lines. The spray hose must run through the body of the faucet near the valve assembly, which typically includes a large number of components. Also, separate fasteners are ordinarily needed to install the valve assembly in the faucet body.
This can significantly increase the cost of production of the faucet, and in some cases the shipping weight of the product.
A need therefore exists for an improved pullout type faucet, particularly one that is easier to assemble and is relative lightweight.
In one aspect the invention provides a pull-out faucet. It has a hollow body defining a longitudinal cavity opening at a bottom end, at a top end and at an internally threaded side; a spout having proximal and distal ends and defining a passageway there between, the proximal end being mounted to the top end of the body; and a spray head having discharge orifices and being positioned adjacent the distal end of the spout when in a retracted position.
There is also a valve block that is not integral with the hollow body, is disposed in the cavity, has two inlet passages, has an outlet passage, and has a side face; a mixing valve cartridge having an end that is positioned adjacent the side face of the valve block and having an opposite end; and a control stem projecting from the opposite end of the cartridge.
Preferably, the side opening of the body is defined by a laterally extending cylindrical section having an inner end inside the cavity and an outer end outside the cavity. The mixing valve cartridge and valve block are secured to the body by tightening an externally threaded valve bonnet into the side opening so as to press them together and force a peripheral flange on the valve block to seat against an inwardly directed lip of the body.
Further, water supply hoses are coupled to the valve block inlet passages, an outlet hose has a first end coupled to the valve block outlet passage and a second end coupled to the spray head, and the outlet hose is of a suitable size to slide within the spout passageway to permit the spray head to be pulled from the spout to an extended position. There is also a handle coupled to the control stem for operating the valve.
In preferred forms there is a handle bonnet mounted about the control stem to the outer end of the cylindrical section to rotate with the control stem, and the valve block inlet passages open in the direction of the bottom opening in the body. One or more of the hoses can be coupled to the valve block by a push-in connection via a washer projection, the spray head can be coupled to the spray hose by a ball and socket connection, and there can also be a counterweight mounted to the spray hose to bias the spray head toward the distal end of the spout.
In another aspect the invention provides a method of assembling a pull-out faucet. One provides a faucet body defining a longitudinal cavity opening at bottom and top ends and at an internally threaded side; assembles to a valve block hot and cold water supply hoses so that they extend from inlet passages of the valve block; and assembles to the valve block an outlet hose so that it extends from an outlet passage of the valve block. One then inserts the hoses through the body side opening, then feeding them down through the bottom opening, and inserts the valve block into the side opening.
One then positions a mixing valve cartridge against a side face of the valve block so that corresponding ports of the mixing valve cartridge align with respective inlet and outlet passages of the valve block. Then one threads a valve bonnet into the side opening to secures the valve block and cartridge in the body. One then feeds a first end of the outlet hose up through the body bottom opening, through the cavity, through the top opening of the body, and into a spout attachable to the top end of the body. Then, one connects a spray head to a second end of the outlet hose.
In preferred forms the method includes mounting a handle bonnet about an end of the mixing valve cartridge, and mounting a counterweight to the outlet hose to bias the spray head towards a distal end of the spout.
The invention thus provides a faucet that is particularly suitable for kitchen sinks (albeit also useful for other plumbing applications such as bathtubs), where the spray head is connected to water supply lines by a flexible hose disposed inside the faucet. This allows the faucet to look and operate like a conventional solid body faucet and also allow the spray head to be pulled out from the faucet to change the location and reach of the spray head.
The faucet preferably has a hollow body with a cylindrical opening in which is disposed a valve block and a one-piece mixing valve cartridge lying laterally so that its valve stem extends out from one side of the faucet for attaching a handle. The threaded side opening and valve bonnet permit easy installation of the valve assembly (and hoses), while minimizing components and the weight of the faucet.
These and still other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description and drawings. What follows is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. To assess the full scope of the invention the claims should be looked to as the preferred embodiment is not intended as the only embodiment within the scope of the invention.